The Gibbs Bunch
by aceofqueens23
Summary: Jenny and Jethro are NCIS Special Agents with four great kids, and bonus Israeli child for the year. A psycho kidnaps the Gibblets in a psychotic attempt to bring the world justice by ruining their happiness. Bit of Tony-centric. AU for sure.


Authors Note: I do not own anything. CBS and Don P. dont sue me please and thanks, i only borrow them for a bit of fun. Thanksss

Jethro & Jenny = Dad & Mom. Married. NCIS Special Agents.

Ducky= Uncle… NCIS M.E.

Ziva= Foreign Exchange Student 18

Kate= Cheerleader 18

Tony= Jock 16

Abby= Gothic (tim's twin) 14

Tim = Geeky Tendancies (abby's twin) 14

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

Jenny sobbed into her husband's shoulder, unable to look at the photo her husband held in his hands. Jethro sat on the edge of his bed, his hands and eyes unable to escape the framed birthday present his kids had given to him of their family together at the airport.

They all were so happy in this picture, so different from the emotions he was feeling right now.

Tears silently fell onto the frame as his eyes scanned the faces of the people that meant the most to him in his life; his family. He remembered all they had once had, and couldn't help but blame himself for what was most likely happening to his kids at this very moment. He couldn't imagine not being together again, like they were in this picture.

"We will find them Jen …" said Jethro shakily, yet determinedly.

"We have to …" said Jenny as her head rested on her husbands shoulder. Sad eyes gazed into the photo of her beautiful children. She longed for them to be in her arms once more, and realized she would stop at nothing to get them back. "We have to.."

"I think that's her!" said an excited Abby. She was pointing enthusiastically at a teenage girl who was walking down the terminal alone, scanning around the waiting area expectantly.

"I think it might be…" said Jenny Gibbs. "Ziva?" she asked hopingly as the girl got closer.

"Yes, that is me" smiled back the young girl. She was in khaki pants and a white shirt with her hair worn down and curly. "Are you all the Gibbs family?" she said as she took in the family that stood before them.

There was a man, probably in his late thirties, with brown hair cut high and tight. He stood tall and strong, yet had gentle blue eyes and a heart-warming smile. His arm was around his wife, who had bright red hair and a kind eyes and smile.

There was a young girl, probably around 14, with the weirdest clothing she had ever seen on. She had chains, boots, black hair in pig tails, a red mini skirt, and shirt with a skull and cross bones on it. Yet, despite the odd and almost scary clothing she had on, the girl had bright eyes and a cheeky grin. T

here was a boy that looked the same height as her, who stood shyly with jeans and a navy polo on.

A boy who looked around her age stood next to the man she assumed was the family's father, and had baggy jeans on and a red shirt and messy short brown hair.

Then there was a girl her age, with dark hair styled pretty, dressed in girly clothes with makeup done who stood with a large smile on her face.

"Yep, that's us!" said Abby. And the rest of the family stood with warm smiles.

"My name is Jenny, and this is my husband Jethro" introduced Jenny as took the Israeli in for a welcome hug, then wrapped her arm around her husband who gave a nod and polite smirk. "And this is our eldest Kate, who is going to be in your same grade" the two girls smiled and shook hands. "Then there's Tony" who gave a small wave and a smirk, much like his father had. "And then the twins Abby and Tim". Abby gave her a big hug, and Tim shook her hand with a small smile.

"I am Ziva. It is very nice to meet you all" she said, so glad to see that she was being welcomed to America with a somewhat normal looking family.

"Well let's get your baggage shall we?" said Jethro as he turned to kindly usher the family towards baggage claim.

"Wait!" yelled Abby. "I want to take a picture of everyone right here, so we can remember this moment for a really long time!"

"Sure Abs.." said Gibbs. He wasn't one to say no to Abby, and the rest of the group sort of agreed it would be nice to have a picture. Jenny kindly asked a janitor mopping nearby to snap a photo of the family, and he agreed.

They all were gathering around their new foreign exchange student. Jethro playfully wrapped Tony in a headlock and rubbed at his son's messy hair before tucking him under his arm and wrapping his other arm around his wife. Jenny stood with her arm around Jethro and a hand on Ziva's shoulder. Tim took his place on the other side of his mother, and Abby and Kate leaned in around Ziva who stood in the middle. Their smiles were as bright as the camera's flash, and that moment was forever stored within the memory card of the family's camera.

After baggage claim, the family decided that they were nearing starvation, or that's how Tony had described it, and that they should go out for dinner as a family to get to know each other a little better.

As Jethro Tony and Tim were loading Zivas luggage into the family's SUV, Jethro asked the infamous question, "Where do you guys want to go eat?"

After many small arguments and kids stating their cases, it was decided that they would go to the Chicago Deep Dish Pizza Parlor. Tony had staked his claim that it was the best food in town, and that it would give Ziva the true American cuisine experience. The lot agreed.

They got a booth, and after ordering drinks Abby began almost interrogating Ziva with millions of questions about what she was like and what Israel was like.. even before Ziva had the chance to answer one of them.

Finally, Tim put his hand over the blabbering Abby and politely said, "So Ziva, tell us about yourself.."

After a small giggle was shared among the family, their eyes turned on Ziva and she answered, "I am from Tel Aviv, as you may know, the North side. I like to practice martial arts. I have an older brother and a younger sister. My mother stays at home, and my father is the director of Mossad.I am eighteen years old….and I think that's about it." She finished with a smile.

"Wow…" said Jenny. "Your father is the director of Mossad? That must be pretty interesting"

None of the kids really knew of Mossad, but Jethro and Jenny did. It wasn't the friendliest of organizations. However they all could tell Ziva was genuinely a nice young lady, with good manners, so nothing was thought of what her father's profession was.

"Well, me and Jen work for the Navy as crime investigators," said Jethro. "And Kate is a senior, just like you will be in a few weeks, and Tony is a junior. Abby and Tim are going to be freshman."

"Ahh.." said Ziva. "I see."

"You and I will be sharing a bedroom.." said Tony with his infamous 1000 watt smile.

This earned a raised eyebrow from Ziva, but not wanting to be rude she smiled and began to answer her acceptance, "Oh that is-"

She was cut off when Jethro whacked Tony across the back the head enough to make the boy wince.

"No he was just kidding! As you might have yet to notice, Tony is mentally only about five or six years old.." said Kate. "You and I are going to share a room, but don't worry it's the biggest and we have our own bathroom." Said Kate with a smile after glaring at her younger brother.

"Yes Kate is right about your room," said Jenny. " I hope you won't mind. But I have a feeling you two could become good friends…"

"Yes I hope that will be true …" said Ziva.

The family ate their lunch, laughing more often than actually eating their food. The family's banter was harmless, and Ziva could notice the deep bond and love they shared, even though they were all so different from each other.

This was going to be a great year, they all had thought as Ziva began joking right along with the family.

Or so they had thought …

"Tony! Get your ass up!" yelled Jethro as he banged for the fourth time that morning on his sons door. It was the kids seventh week of school, and their routine had always been this way; everyone ready at the door as Tony was just crawling out of bed.

As took another deep breath and raised his fist to bang on the door once more, the knob turned and the door whipped open. A over-smiling Tony rolling the sleeves up on his football jersey wearing baggy jeans emerged in front of him. He grabbed the ball cap that he had smashed between his knees, and yanked it on his head.

"Gooood Morning Dad!" yelled Tony cheerfully. "And how are you this fine morning?"

Jethro smirked to the side and reached forward and snatched the hat off his head and placed back on his head backwards, causing Tony to smile almost bashfully.

"Thanks, Dad."

"Get outta here.." he grabbed his son by the shoulder and playfully pulled him through the door and pushed him down the hallway . "Later!" yelled Tony as he practically jumped down the entire flight of stairs to meet his siblings at the door, his backpack hanging off one shoulder.

Jethro remained in his same spot in front of his door. He merely shook his head and took a sip from his coffee. This is going to be a good day … he thought sarcastically.

"That child …" said a smiling Jenny from her stance leaning against the doorway to their bedroom down the hall.

She was still in her nightgown/ robe attire. They were taking the day off, they had plenty off vacation time to take off before the end of the year, and it was determined they needed some time to themselves. With five kids to keep track of, especially ones like theirs, time like this was rare.

Jethro continued to shake his head and smirk … "What can ya do ?"

"Well .. I know what we _should _be doing _right now_…" said Jenny as she began to walk backwards into her room; her gaze never leaving her husband's and a devious smile playing on her lips.

Jethro quickly downed the rest of his coffee and set it on the hall table as he smiled wryly and made his way to the bedroom, shutting the door behind him. This was going to be a VERY good day…

They five kids began their usual march towards the school. Their parents thought it necessary they not be spoiled and have to walk to school, even though Kate and Tony each had a car of their own.

"So you guys coming to our game tonight?" asked Kate. She was directing the question towards Tim and Abby. Her and Ziva were dressed in their matching cheerleading uniforms.

"Yeah .. of course!" replied Abby.

"We wouldn't miss Ziva's first home cheering game for anything!" said Tim.

"Woah …" said Tony. "And what about your football star of an older brother?" He said proudly, yet jokingly.

"Haha… what about you?" said Kate teasingly as she grabbed Tony's baseball cap off his head and placed it on her own.

"Hey! Gimme that …" laughed Tony as he began to chase his older sister around the walking group jokingly … trying to get back his beloved hat.

They all were giggling amusedly, until they were interrupted by a horn honking to the left of them. They all stopped and looked at who was honking, and they realized it was Tony's best friend, and Kate's new boy toy Jake Wilson in his pick-up truck.

"You losers need a lift … " he said with a big smile on his face.

"Hell yeahhhh" said Tony. They all began to walk towards the truck, and Tony finally snatched his hat back.

"Hey Kate why don't you ride up front!" said Tony as he easily hopped up into the bed of the truck. He grabbed Abby and ripped her up after him as she laughed from amusement.

"Ok!" said Kate. Her and Jake were just starting to hang out, one might call it dating … but neither of them would like to admit it. Tony thought it was pretty cool, which had surprised most people, and Ziva was currently being set up with another member of Tony's football team courtesy of Kate and Tony.

Tim and Ziva climbed into the back, and they began the short drive to school. Tony took the opportunity to grab some history homework from his backpack and began his attempt to finish, that is, start it.

"Hey, Timmmy…." Said Tony with his best smile on, "Care to help your brother out?"

"Yeah right … " said Tim. He had helped him out enough already this week.

"Ugh .. fine" said Tony. He shoved the paper back in his backpack . "Hey Jake …" he banged on the back window, and Kate opened it up.

"Whats up?" said Jake, his arm still around Kate and eyes still on the road.

"Skip fourth hour with me today?" asked Tony like it was no big deal, because it wasn't one.

"Ha .. you know it!" answered Jake happily.

"Sweeet" said Tony. He could turn in his homework another day.

"Are you guys ever gonna grow up?" said Kate jokingly.

"Yes, Kate is right, you cannot just skip out on things when you do not want to do them" said Ziva taking Kates side.

"Ahhh we will deal with those issues when we get there" replied Jake.

"Amen!" said Tony as he held up a fist.

"Hey Tony, how many touchdowns are you going to score tonight?" asked Jake from the cab.

"Well… depends on how many you feel like throwing tonight," said Tony.

"Yeah yeah … well if Kate stands me up for lunch today, you know who to blame when I don't throw ya any …" said Jake with a smirk.

"Katieee" said Tony in a mock warning tone. "Don't let me down. Do your thing girl…" This earned an eye roll from Kate.

They all giggled at that as they turned into the school parking lot.

Ziva jumped out of the truck and offered Abby a hand, who promptly took it. Tony and Tim hopped out of the other side as Jake and Kate made their exit.

Tony's latest girlfriend Kelly was waiting for him standing by her friends. Kate, Jake, Ziva and Ziva's fling Tyler joined Tony and Kelly as they made their grand entrance into the school of which they reigned. Tim and Abby walked in with their 'group of misfits', as some people called them, but they were cool with who they were, and that was that.

They were all really growing close, and things had never been better. This would be another great day they each thought.

"Where are they?" asked an impatient Abby. "This is so uncool!"

"It's okay Abby, I am sure they have a good reason," assured Ziva.

"Yeah let's hope so, they missed Tony's game!" said Kate. She knew how important football was to her dad and Tony, and Tony had played great- until he got knocked out. "They should have been at the game, and they should be here now!"

They were waiting in the emergency room waiting room, alone and scared. Tony was completely unconscious on the field for what seemed like an eternity, and finally they loaded him up in the ambulance and took him here.

"Maybe they got called into work?" offered Tim. "I don't see any other reason they would be unreachable."

"I called Uncle Ducky, and he didn't answer either!" said Abby. "It must be something with work."

A doctor entered the room, "Are you guys here for Anthony Gibbs?"

"Yeah, is he okay?" asked Kate concerned.

"He is still pretty out of it," replied the doctor. "Are you his siblings?"

"Yeah" they all replied in unison.

"Are your parents here?" asked the doctor curiously.

"We can't get a hold of them actually.." said Tim.

"Well I guess I can tell you guys. Your brother has a severe concussion, made even worse by his frequent and long list of head injuries," said the doctor. "But you can go back and see him if you'd like. Follow me."

They all filed in the exam room to find an asleep looking Tony lying on a bed in a half sitting position. He was in his muddy football pants and cleats still. But his jersey and shoulder pads were off. He lay there shirtless, with white bloody bandage on his temple.

He had gotten the concussion when he hit the ground so hard his helmet popped off and then he took a cleat hard to the temple. Lights out.

"Im going to run home and get some clothes he can change into when we leave this place," said Kate. "You guys stay here with him. I'm going to see if mom and dad are home too."

They nodded in agreement and walked closer to their brother's sleeping form.

"Tony?" said Abby in a small voice. "Can you hear us?"

"Hey. Tony." Tim poked his brothers tanned stomach hoping for a response.

"Wha-?" slurred Tony. His eyes peeled open and glassy, glazed over green orbs were present.

"Hey. How are you feeling?" asked Ziva in a soft tone.

Tony's brows crinkled and he looked around slowly, clearly confused. "Mmmm" he moaned and his eyes closed. His hand began a slow ascent towards his injured right temple, but Abby gently grabbed his hand, thinking that wasn't a good idea. He breathed gruffly, eyes still closed, and eventually went limp, falling back asleep…hopefully that was sleep, they thought.

The doctor came back in and checked his pupils, which still had no reaction. He shook his head in disappointment.

"He's still pretty concussed, but we already gave him a CAT scan, and found no internal damage."

"He's got a really hard head," said Abby proudly.

"Yeah I guess so. Must have been some hit," said the Doctor. "You parents still aren't here?"

"No, our sister went to look for them," said Tim sadly. They should be here. He was starting to worry.

With that the doctor made his exit. A few minutes passed and Tony began to stir.

"M'head hurtsss" slurred Tony. His eyes just starting to slip open.

"Yes. That is not surprising," said Ziva. "Do you not remember what happened?"

"What?" said Tony confused, clearly. "Wh-"

Kate walked in the room with a handful of Tony's clothes. "Hey Tony. How are you feeling?"

"Umm. I ummmm," said Tony sleepily.

"Hm. Well I still couldn't find mom or dad. But here are some clothes for you Tony."

"Mmmmm" was the only response.

"Hey there. Knock knock," came a voice from the doorway. There was a man in a suit standing in the door. He looked official.

"Can we help you?" asked Ziva

"Oh, sorry. I am here on behalf of your parents. They asked me come and get you kids. They are really swamped in MTAC." Said the man.

"So they know that Tony is in the hospital and they still didn't come?" asked Kate in disbelief.

"They asked that I give you their apologies, but they assure you they will catch up with you all at home in a few hours," the man answered. "So I am here to take you home."

"No offense but I don't recognize you," said Abby. "What's your name?"

"Eddie Tyler. Special Agent Eddie Tyler that is," said the man. He flashed his badge to validate. "Tony knows me. We used to hang out in the office back in the day."

They all looked at Tony who was looking blearily at the man.

"That's right isn't it Tony. Remember me?" asked the man like it was an obvious answer.

"Umm. I don't .. suuure," his answer was a bit slurred. They weren't sure about how much they could trust this guy. But it seemed valid, and they had no reason to think otherwise.

"Okay. Well I talked to the doctor and he thinks its best that we get you kids home and Tony in his own bed," said Eddie as he approached the head of Tony's bed.

"Um are you sure? Tony doesn't seem like he's that okay," stated Tim.

"Yep. Let's get a move on. Come on Tony, it's time to go home now." Said Eddie. He reached his arm behind Tony and grabbed under his arm pits. He sat him forward, then swung his legs over the bed. "Let's walk. You don't need one of those wheelchairs. It'll be good for ya."

"I don't think that's a good idea," said Kate. Tony could barely hold his head up.

Eddie dragged Tony off the bed and tried to balance him as Tony's head lolled and his legs started to give. "Young man come and help your brother with me."

Tim did as he was told and got on the other side of his brother as the two practically dragged Tony out of the door.

"We should wait a bit longer," said Ziva a look of concern matching that of Kate and Abby's. "I do not think that he is okay to walk."

"Doc says he's fine, he is." Eddie began to seem in quite the rush as they made it to the hallway. Abby was looking around, but for some reason all of the nurses and doctors were gathered around something happening way down the hallway, in the opposite direction they were headed. "I know a shortcut, here." said Eddie.

Eddie led them into the stairwell, and then told Abby to open up the emergency exit door.

"But the alarm-" started Abby.

"Nah. It just says that to scare you.." answered Eddie. "Trust me…"

Abby opened the door, and no alarm went off. There was a van a few feet from the door that Eddie said was his. There was a man in the driver's seat. Something didn't feel right. Tim stopped in his tracks. Kate and Ziva stood back.

"This seems a bit off," whispered Ziva to Kate.

"Hey stop!" yelled Kate as the man tried pulling Tony away from Tim. She had just finished sending a text to her dad that read '_Are we supposed to leave with Mr. Tyler?'._

"Nope, no time," Eddie said. "Come on, let's get your brother home where he belongs." Tony was completely limp, save his attempt at keeping his head up. It was sad.

"Can't you call our parents?" asked Abby. "How do we know that you are who you say you are?"

"I already showed you my badge, and Tony recognized me," Eddie explained. "They don't get any cell reception in MTAC anyways…"

The man in the driver's seat came out of the car, and a man from the passenger side did too. All of the sudden Eddie pulled out a gun and placed it against Tony's head.

"I suggest you get in the van," said Eddie in a tone and voice that was so unlike the one he was just talking to them in.

They all gasped in fear. Tim stepped away from Tony and Eddie and put his hands in the air. He was frightened, as was everyone else.

"We must do as he tells us," said Ziva in a whisper. "It is what my father has always said to do in this type of hostage situation."

Abby was bawling, and Kate was stunned with fear.

The man cocked the gun, "I said get the van NOW!" Tony just sort of stood with the support of the mans head lock, clearly more confused than ever.

Ziva was the first to walk into the van. Then Kate held Abby's hand as they followed Tim into the back of it. Eddie got in, and dragged Tony in also, the gun never leaving its spot at Tony's right temple. The van sped away into the night.

"Tony will understand, Jethro," said Jenny to her husband. "There is nothing we can do."

"I know it's just … Something doesn't feel right. At all," said Jethro. His chin resting on his fist as he sat in the MTAC theatre. They had been mysteriously locked in there with director Morrow and Ducky, his brother the M.E. for five hours now. Jethro was missing Tony's game, and all for nothing. They had been called in to work on their day off for some emergency video conference with SecNav that never happened. Morrow was pissed, and even more pissed when they couldn't get the doors open. The techs were trying their hardest, or so they said, but that didn't make Gibbs any happier.

Finally and mysteriously, the doors unlocked. "Thank God!" said Jenny. As soon as they got out of MTAC, each of their cell phones was ringing and beeping off the hook with calls and messages they must have missed. As they read through them, they went from telling them to hurry to the game, to ones that said hurry to the hospital.

Jethro knew right then and there that something was really wrong, and Jenny picked up on it as well. Ducky came over and asked them immediately if they knew what was happening with the kids, and they both shook their head no. But they were going to find out.

Jethro and Jenny took off at lightning speed to University Hospital where all three of their kid's messages told them to go. They knew nothing of what it was about, but were willing to bet it was Tony. Trouble found that boy more than anyone they had ever known. They had also somewhat hoped it was about him over any of their other kids, because of them all Tony was the toughest and most definitely most resilient.

They went to the Emergency Room right away, and burst through the doors asking for their kids. The head nurse asked what the name of their kid was, when a male doctor approached him.

"Are you Mr. and Mrs. Gibbs?" he asked expectantly.

"Yes. Where are our kids?" asked Jenny.

"They are right this way," he said as he began walking in the direction on the exam rooms. "Your son is really out of it still, and we are keeping him overnight for more observation."

They stopped outside of a room where the door was closed. "We were really caught up in something, who is it? And what happened?" asked Jenny as tears welled up in her eyes.

"Yes I wondered where you were. And your kids seem a bit worried also," began the young doctor. "Tony was brought in by ambulance completely unconscious and unresponsive on the football field. Apparently his helmet got knocked off and he took a kick to the temple."

Jethro blew the air out of his mouth loudly, it sounded rough. He wished more than anything that he could have been there, and he knew that he should have been. "Damnit." Tony didn't need another head injury.

"Yeah it seems this is one of many concussions, which may be why he is still having trouble coming around," said the doctor. "He has been awake, but never lucid enough to answer any questions."

"Thanks Doc," said Jethro. He was anxious to see his kids. He looked down at his phone and saw he just got a new message from Kate.

The doctor nodded his head and opened the door. He was shocked at what he saw. Jenny gasped behind him, and Jethro didn't have to look into the room to know what was happening.

"Shit. Someones trying to take them!" yelled Jethro as he sprinted for the exit. Jenny had a look of horror and ran after her husband. As they reached outside they saw nothing. No cars no vans. He knew that they were too late.

"Jethro! What is happening?" asked Jenny in a moment of panic.

"The kids are gone!"

Jenny couldn't keep it together, and began crying in fear immediately. Jethro called the rest of their team and told them that they needed to get to work on this case now.

Jethro called Ducky and told him what had happened, and he was on his way to meet them at the hospital to be with his brother and sister-in-law. Jethro and Jenny walked inside and demanded to see the videotapes of what had happened that night, as they explained what they thought was happening to the clearly puzzled physician from the nights events.

This was an awful day.

"Throw your cell phones up here now!" yelled Eddie at the five kids.

There were no seats in the van. Only the driver's seat and the passenger seat which were occupied by large men clad in black. Tim, Kate, Abby, and Ziva sat as far back as they could from the men in the front of the van. Eddie threw Tony at them once he fell back asleep, and they had situated his head on Kate's lap and his body sprawled out in front of them. It was the best they could do.

Abby had yet to stop crying, and Tim was just plain frightened by the entire situation. Kate and Ziva shared the same anger towards everything that had happened.

"NOW!" demanded a seemingly psychotic Eddie. They were shaken from their thoughts as Kate three her cell phone to the man, as did Abby and Tim. "And where is yours ?"

"I do not have one. I am not from here," answered Ziva.

The other three looked at her trying to mask their surprise. Ziva was lying. They all knew she had a cell phone.

"Oh yeah? Well what is your name?" said Eddie defiantly.

"Tali David"

The man began to search through the three phones for a 'Tali', and when he didn't find one he was satisfied. He smashed the cell phones with the butt of his gun. Eddie moved towards them in the van with four pieces of cloth and some zip ties that he grabbed from a bag near him.

"Turn around," said Eddie demandingly. "Playtime is over."

They did as they were told and turned around. After the man turned Tony over onto his stomach he zip tied his hands behind his back then placed a blindfold over his eyes. He then started Searching Tim who was nearest on the man's left. As his back was to Ziva, she stealthily put her phone into the side of Tony's football pants beneath one of the hip pads, then regained her position facing the window. They were all trying to gather as much data as they could from the buildings they were passing by, and looking for names of street signs and exits. They were on an expressway, and Kate recognized a few of the signs and thought she knew which direction they were headed and on what road.

Once they were all searched and secured to Eddie's approval, and he had regained his position near the front of the van, Kate began her antics.

"You will never get away with this you know!" she yelled with as much confidence as she could muster. "Our parents are special agents, they do this for a living!"

"When our dad gets his hands on you-" started Abby angrily before the man interrupted.

"Hey! We know exactly who your parents are! And they are never going to find you…alive."

"Just wait and see!" said Tim confident in his parents and their connections. He was hoping that he was right with everything he had in him. This man was really starting to scare him.

"Oh we will." He answered with a menacing grin and snearing voice that gave all who could hear a deep chill.

"All the phones are going straight to voice mail," said Jenny. "Except Tony's and Ziva's."

"Yeah well I don't think that Tony has his cell phone if he was taken to the hospital right from the game," said the family's good friend Tobias Fornell, who was at their side the moment he'd heard about what happened. The news spread pretty quickly throughout the agencies. They had a lot of people working on trying to find the Gibbs kids.

"Yes, and it is possible that Ziva may have been able to conceal hers," added a concerned Uncle Ducky. "Perhaps she is waiting for a safe moment to try and contact you."

"We will have Rita run a trace on her number," said Tobias. Jenny wrote down the number from her place in the bullpen. Tobias took the paper and personally ran it down to the lab tech.

"Footage from the security tapes boss," spoke up their fellow agent as he got up from his desk and acknowledged the plasma screen.

They watched Abby and Ziva emerge from the hospital room doorway first, followed by Kate. Then came a struggling Tim trying to carry the almost dead-weight of his older brother Tony, who was slung shirtless and still in his uniform pants between him and another man. But not just any other man.

This man made a point to look directly at the camera, and he gave a snearing smile that took the wind out of Jethro and Jenny. The team remembered the man, because how could anyone forget that case?

It was two years ago, and a man and his brother were off on mission as part of the Navy Seals. While away, both of their entire families were brutally murdered- by this man. The man who currently had his arms around his son and control over the rest of his kids. They had never been able to find the man, his only appearances being his haunting face on the Most Wanted Wall. His name was Eddie Tyler, and everyone knew as they looked at him usher the Gibbs children into the van after threatening them with a gun, that Eddie Tyler was a dead man walking.

"Where was everyone when we left?" asked Tony from his spot propped up against the wall. "Like all the doctors and nurses?"

They had been sitting in a root-cellar seeming room that was covered in dirt with no windows or stairs, only a single light bulb. It was about a 20X30 bare space, and it was chilly against the concrete walls and floor. It had been probably three of four hours since they had been sent into their holding place, and Tony had improved tremendously. Minus the blinding headache and still slight confusion of their current predicament, he was pretty much functioning normally.

"They were busy with something happening down the hall," said Abby sounding disappointed she hadn't noticed the situations hinky-ness before it was too late. "I should have known…"

"And this guy took us out through this Emergency Exit through the stairwell…" added an angry Kate. "God! I knew something was off!" Kate was mad about how trustworthy and legit this man had really appeared to be, and how she let her brothers and sisters (yeah, Ziva was as close as a sister now) to get in to such a dangerous situation. She was the oldest, and she felt like she had really let them down.

"Well there is nothing that can be done about that now," suggested Ziva. "Let us just try and figure out how to get out of here now."

"Yeah," said Tim. "We are out in the country somewhere. Far from the city, because we were in the car for about three hours, and before we got dropped into this cellar we were walking through long grass."

"Yeah," said Abby. "Just great. Enough if we manage to get out of this hole. We are still so far away from civilization probably."

"Well that sounds better than being in the clutches of these dirtbags," said Kate.

"Yeah, and when we get out I bet we can maybe get some cell reception off Ziva's phone to call mom and dad!" said Tim.

They had tried the phone as soon as they knew they were alone, and it had gotten no signal. They agreed to turn it off to salvage the battery until a later time.

"So what did these guys look like?" asked a curious Tony.

"Big, scary men!" said Abby.

"Well that's just great!" said Tony.

After a few more minutes of silence, Kate asked, "Tony, aren't you freezing?"

"Um yeah actually I am," answered Tony. His bare back resting on the cement wall was like leaning against an ice sculpture. "But I don't see anything that can be done about it. I will be okay. It will keep me awake, which is apparently something I haven't been doing to good at recently." He finished with a half smile.

"Well the clothes that I brought for you someone took out of my hands when I was leaving the van, so maybe they will drop them to us?" asked a hopeful Kate.

"Yeah, and maybe they will hand us the keys to their car and give us each a hundred dollars as a generous parting gift …" Tony deadpanned.

"Yeah well, I was just saying. We can hope for something. Its freakin' cold down here," finished Kate.

Abby moved closer from her spot on the wall and began to snuggle into her older brother. She was scared.

"Tony how are you feeling?" asked Tim as he continued to pace across the center of their new home.

"Im okay," said Tony. "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine." His tone was soft and gentle, which hinting to the others that he wasn't feeling fine. But if he wasn't going to say anything they wouldn't bring it up. He had seemed to have gotten a lot better, with the ability to hold a conversation and all.

"I hope mom and dad come soon," said Abby as more tears began to fall uninterrupted from her face which rested on Tony's side.

"They'll get here as soon as they can Abby," offered Kate. "It'll be fine."

The NCIS team, accompanied by many other NCIS employees who had volunteered their insight as well as Ducky, Fornell, and Morrow had been reading over, and over, and over again all things Eddie Tyler & Associates.

So far they really didn't have much. This kidnapping was much different than his previous M.O. and it was troubling to everyone. The guy had pointedly shown his face to the camera, which could have meant any number of terrifying things. Most threatening being the man was sick of the secret life he was most likely leading, and had nothing to lose so killing five kids would be like eating cake.

"We are trying the cell trace every five minutes on Ziva's phone. So far they've all been inconclusive," Fornell's voice came from the corner of the bullpen.

"No hits on the BOLO and no reports of anyone seeing the van on any highways yet," said Ben Rivers Jethro and Jenny's probie. "But it'll be run on the ZNN news here coming up on the hour, so hopefully we can get some calls in and get a direction they were headed."

"What proof do we have that this guy hasn't already-" started Morrow. "I mean how do we know they are still alive. This guy is ruthless.."

Jethro's head snapped up and his world class glare bore into the director's eyes. "Because I would know if my children were dead!" his voice boomed.

"I'm sorry Jethro, it's just-" the director began to try and soften what he had just said but he stopped when he heard the familiar sound of a new email being received from Jenny's computer.

All went quiet in the bullpen, and Jenny slowly walked over to her desk from her stance by her husband. She was scared of what it might be. Then again, it could be nothing. But somewhere deep, down she knew what it was about.

"Open it Jen," came a quiet Jethro looking over her shoulder at what was in the new message.

The sender was _Xavier666_ and the subject was 'Hi Mommy'.

Jenny immediately teared up at this, and more than anything didn't want to look at this email. However, she knew she had to, for her kids.

She double clicked on the message and what she saw took her breath away. She turned her head, unable to fight the sobs that escaped her. Jethro was frozen.

Tony was really starting to get cold, but he wasn't going to admit it. Abby was dozing lightly as she leaned against him. His arm wrapped around her. Ziva and Kate sat next to each other on the opposite wall, and Tim lay in the corner trying to come up with a valid escape plan silently in his mind. Nothing really seemed too promising…yet.

Just then the trap door above them opened with a loud creek.

Abby woke up with a start. Tim stood suddenly, and Tony stood, pulling Abby up with him, and they all made their way towards the far wall where Kate and Ziva stood with their eyes glued on the ladder being dropped into their pit. They could hear muffled voices discussing something, and then finally combat boots were seen descending into their pit. Two more followed, and they could hear another man standing over the door, probably holding guard.

The Gibbs kids moved in to some sort of a huddle. Kate took a stance in front of everyone, as if to protect them. Yet they were all right behind her, standing their own ground.

"Ahhh, and how are my little brats doing this fine evening?" said Eddie Tyler as he slowly made his way towards their group.

"Just fine, thanks ," said Tony sarcastically. "And you?"

"Oh much better than usual," was the answer.

"What do you want from us?" asked Kate. Her anger showing.

He made his way all the way up to the group. He took a step closer, and was now in Kate's personal space. He leaned in so their noses were nearly touching. He reached a hand up and began to stroke Kates hair with his grubby fingers. Kate tried to hold her ground, and act un-phased, though she felt sick to her stomach, and rage boiled her blood.

"I just want to help even out society. Your parents have been a bit glutinous with their actions, having such a large happy family, accepting a fifth child into their home for a year, going along with a happy go lucky life where everything is just perfect," spoke the man as is what he were saying was poison.

"What is wrong with that?"

"Everything. You've got your parents which work together and fight crime together like some superhero wannabe's. Then you've got Miss Vogue, and The Foreign Experience. Then there's the quirky little twins, smart enough to lead the country most likely. Then there's the worst of you all. The Golden Child. Mister Sports Superstar Jock with the good looks and all the skirts chasin you, but who's nice to everyone and blah blah blah Im gonna make myself sick!"

Tony swallowed. He didn't particularly like being the most hated, but he knew it was better him than anyone else getting the brunt of anything coming their way.

"You all need to be shown a taste of the real world! Your parents too! Life SUCKS!"

"We do not lead a perfect life, sir. It may seem like it, but we all go through problems just like everyone else does…" said Ziva. .

"Bullshit. You have no idea how hard life is. You all living in your big house with your nice cars and getting anything your little hearts desired … its despicable."

"You're a complete Nut Job man," retorted Kate.

"I will save that for later consideration," said the man as he backed away. Then, he pulled out his handgun from his back and held it in the air. "For now, you will all cooperate," he cocked the gun. "Or else."

They all swallowed in apprehension.

"Greek God and Geeky One, you're coming with me" said Eddie. "I am a traditional man. Usually. So don't be giving me any reasons not to be. It is not wise to anger me I will warn you."

"You guys aren't going anywhere," said Kate worriedly as Tony and Tim began to step forward. "We are all sticking together."

"Is that so?" Eddie took the gun and aimed it dead straight at Abby's head, who was so scared she couldn't move or speak.

"Kate, we'll be fine," said Tony trying to sound reassuring. He took a few steps forward and ended up behind the man. He didn't see any other way out of this…

Tim was frozen in his place. He didn't understand how Tony could be so brave to go with these maniacal men. Nothing good would come out of this.

"Just take me," offered Tony. "You don't need Tim to come, he's just a kid."

Tony was only two years older, but he knew how much more timid Tim was than him. And the look on Tim's face clearly showed he wasn't really with it all the way.

"Are you not a man?" taunted Eddie as he bore into Tim's eyes.

Tim snapped out of it and slowly joined his older brother behind EddieTyler.

"A wise decision," Eddie finally took his aim off of Abby, and he began switching targets between three girls. "Now, if any of you girls cause that guard any trouble. It will not go without causing pain to these boys. Let's get a move on boys! We will be back in a jiffy."

With that the two bigger men that had stood in the shadows made themselves known as they firmly guided Tony and Tim up the ladder.

After the men had ascended the ladder, the ladder was pulled back up to the surface of the earth, out of view, and the wooden doors once again slammed shut. It left an ominous silence after it echoed throughout their pit.

"Let us hope that they will be okay," said Ziva hopefully.

With that they sat in worried silence, hoping for the best. Hoping more than anything that that wasn't the last time that they would see their brothers.

Tony and Tim looked around as soon as they were above ground. They we surrounded by long grass all around, and could see nothing because of the pitch blackness that the cold October night left them with. They were forced to march forward towards a small house about a hundred yards away, and a pole barn just to the side of the house made visible only by the lights on the outside of it.

Tim got a large push to the back from one of them men in an effort to make him walk faster, but this only made him fall. Tony hauled him back up easily by the waist. As Tony got close to his ear he could hear painful sounding wheezing coming from his mouth "Stay strong, Tim," whispered Tony as they walked through the field onward. "We will make it out of this if we do."

Tim took those words to heart. He was ready to face this like a man…he hoped.

The wheezing and coughing got progressively worse until they were forced into the barn. The three men, all sizeable, but the silent two of much larger stature than your average, surrounded the two boys as they stood in the middle of the empty oversized shack. Tony shivered as the cold finally caught up to him, as did the fear of what may be about to happen.

"Now I would not try to pull anything. Your dear sisters will not enjoy the consequences," said Tyler in his eerie tone. "Now, pissy pants, what is your name?"

"Uhm," Tim guessed that he was referring to him and his episode in the cellar previously. "Iiii, uhhh.." He looked to Tony for confidence and verification. "Tim" he answered finally.

"Ah. Timothy, you look to be good around computers, yes?"

"Uhmm. Yeah, sure I guess." He was a genius at computers, but thought it might be a good idea to play down his abilities. If he could get his hands on a computer, maybe he could sneak a message to NCIS, who he was really hoping was looking for them. He wasn't sure cause of the MIA nature his parents were exhibiting just hours ago.

"Good, good. Now behind you there is a nice set up," Time turned around and saw a laptop set on a workbench. "You will stand by over here, and once we are ready, I will have a file for you to email to your mommy."

Tim was a little confused at this, he didn't understand the other man's motives, but he shook his head any ways.

" Now, step over here Timmy," Eddie said as he gestured in a creepy mock-genuine way.  
Tim did as he was told. Once he was close enough Eddie snaked his arm around Tim's shoulders, and pointed to gun at his side. "Are you ready for the show?"

Tim scrunched his face in confusion, then looked back towards where he was just standing to Tony.

Tony nodded his head down to Tim, apparently he knew something that was about to happen that Tim didn't. He had his game face on.

"You do everything they tell you Tim," said Tony in a low voice. "No matter what Tim….promise me!"

Tim didn't want to make this promise if it meant something bad was going to happen, like he felt it would as of now. But he trusted his brother more than anyone else, and he knew he had to listen.

"Promise," said Tim in a shaky voice as he swallowed in apprehension.

"Good boys," said Eddie as he shook Tim with his arm. He turned on a camcorder and handed it to Tim. "Hit record. And don't take that camera off of them, or I will pull this trigger when its aimed at your sister." Tim did as he was told. Then Eddie nodded his head at the goons.

Tim immediately started to protest as one cracked his knuckles and the other grabbed Tony behind the arms. The gun in his side pushed harder, and reminded him of his promise to Tony. He didn't want to break a promise. His father had drilled that into his brain for as long as he could remember. His hands shook and tears fell as he recorded the scene in front of him.

The first hit was right to gut. Tony couldn't get his breath, man that guy could throw a punch. The next was to the right side of his face, directly to his cheekbone. The next in the exact same spot. He felt the swelling of his skin immediately, as it pulled on his stitches on his temple blood was trickling down the side of his head he could feel. The next punches were alternated from his chest and abdomen to his face. Each punch to his face popped more of the stitching on his temple, and jarred his mind even further. He tasted blood in his mouth, and he knew he was losing his consciousness. Then he couldn't fight the rising fluid forcing his way the wrong way through his throat. He retched and retched. He was getting fuzzy, his mind and his vision. He was still concussed for god's sake, he didn't need more head injuries. This wasn't going to make his doctor, his Uncle for that matter, very happy. As he felt his head droop forward, although he was growing confused by the second, his only thoughts were on keeping his hand moving for some reason.

Tim couldn't take watching his brother be beat to a pulp. His eyes closed after the first few hits, and tears fell from his clenched eyes. The gun pressed hard into his side.

"Open your eyes!" said Eddie. "Learn from your brother here. This is what it takes to be a man!"

Tim watched and heard the hits and grunts and spitting of blood. Then came the vomiting, which was almost too much to handle. He was proud of his brother, and realized he needed to do his part.

Tim had noticed as they had walked from the cellar to the barn that there was a train blowing its horn in the distance. It wasn't close, but close enough to hear it. He stuck his fingers as stealthily as he could in the corner of the lens. One finger for dot, two for dash. He used Morse Code to spell 'train'. He knew his parents would get it, and it was as best as he could do for now.

Then Tony succumbed to the violence. Eddie took the video camera out of his hand, while it was still recording. He grabbed Tim by the collar and threw him on the ground toward Tony's still body which lay on his stomach in the dirt. A pool of blood slowing forming near his head.

"You tell them that it is their fault…" Eddie taunted.

Tim just sat there looking at Eddie angrily, then one of the goons kicked Tony hard in the side.

"Look into the camera and say it!"

"I canttt," was Tim's retort. His eyes were pleading for rescue.

Another hard kick landed into Tony's side.

"Its your fault," Tim said sadly.

"Goooood," Eddie put the camera down. "Now load it up!"

Tim did as he was told and he started to send the email. He saw that the internet connection was hooked up to a scrambler. That makes the email impossible to trace. Not the best news he's had in a while. But as he pushed send he hoped that his code got cracked and it helped out as much as it could. Plus, he was pretty sure he saw Tony doing some kind of signing with his hands. He hoped they would be rescued soon.

The lights in the office were all off except the lamps at the desks of the Gibbs' teams' bullpen. There were about twenty people crowded around standing, sitting, kneeling- just offering their help in any way that they could. Most of them knew the family well, and adored the children having watched them grow throughout their frequent visits to the office. This was personal for a lot of people.

The still shot on the video was all they could see. And although it was a bit blurry, they would recognize Tony anywhere, and it showed one man holding back his arms and the other standing in front of him.

"Jenny, why don't we go down to the lab and check the phone trace?" said Amber a woman who had volunteered from Fornell's team to help in the investigation. "You don't need to see this."

Jenny obliged, and turned away pitifully as she made her way to the stairwell.

Jethro nodded his thanks, and took a seat in his wife's chair. He took a deep breath and let it out. Ducky took a place behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder to offer courage. Fornell took his place behind him. Everyone else stood in silence, worried for what they were about to hear, as they didn't want to watch a video, yet couldn't walk away.

He pushed the play button in the center of the frame. The image reset itself as Tony standing alone in the middle of a barn looking place then two men approached his 16 year old son. He was still shirtless, in his football pants and cleats just as he was before in the hospital footage.

Jethro looked at Tony and could see the courage in his eyes. Jethro knew that Tony was being strong for his little brother. He didn't see an immature high school jock like he was so used to being around at home, but he saw a man. He had never been more proud of his son, even as the first blow landed without protest.

He watched in horror as Tony took blow after blow. Blood and spit and vomit and moan after moan.

Ducky had walked away halfway through the beating, he couldn't dare watching his nephew being hit like that. But Jethro could not turn away. If Tony and Tim were going through this, so was he.

He saw Tony's head start to droop, and he knew that it was almost over. His heart wrenched and his breath hitched with each blow that landed. The sickening sound of flesh hitting flesh would haunt him for a long time, of this he was sure. Jethro's blood was absolutely boiling. How dare someone do this to his son? Hell would be paid.

That was when he noticed it.

As he stared at his son, he noticed Tony's hand that was pulled behind his back yet visible to the camera was doing sign language to him. He was signing 'Hello'.

"Atta boy" whispered Gibbs.

He kept his eyes glued to his son, and the dire situation he was currently in as Tony dropped to the floor and fell flat on his face. Then the camera moved and he heard Eddie's voice from behind the camera, then he saw Tim for the first time.

Tim looked to be ok…physically at least. Then Eddie ordered him to say something that Jethro didn't quite catch. Tim just sat there. Then a kick landed from off-screen into Tony's side making his limp body jump a bit, and making Jethro and the movie viewers to jump as well. Then Tim said, "I cantt". It made their hearts swell with sadness.

Another kick landed. Tim winced, as did the small crowd.

"Its your fault." In a sad and almost pleading voice.

This bastard was going to pay. With his life.

Tim watched as the goon slung Tony over his shoulder in a fireman's carry. Then all four of them began the walk back to the root cellar. It was pitch black, yet somehow the goons and Eddie knew exactly where they were going.

Tim looked up at his brother who jostled with every step in front of him as he wobbled atop the mans shoulder. It was a sad sight to see his strong older brother in such a weak state. Tim really was going to have to step it up.

They reached the cellar door, and the ladder was put back in. They made Tim go down first, then Eddie, then the goon plus Tony followed.

Kate and Ziva and Abby had been talking furiously about an escape plan, when the cellar door opened. They recognized Tim's tennis shoe, then his blue jeans, and then his red polo shirt. He was a little dirty, but other than that he seemed pretty okay from what they could see. He walked quickly away from the ladder, and joined his sisters at the far wall. Abby gave him a huge hug, and Tim assured them all that he was fine. They did not recognize the black combat boots that preceded Tim, but when they say the gun cladded hand, they knew who it was.

Next down was a larger pair of boots, followed by the limp hands that they instantly knew were Tony's. They were dangling as was his head and whole body for the matter as the man made his way down the ladder. He then dropped Tony in the corner furthest from the group.

Ziva's face was etched with concern, Abby was once again crying into Tim's chest, and Kate wore a face of hatred.

"You all have a good night now ya hear?" said Eddie as he reached up and started unscrewing the light bulb. It was instantly black until the flashlight in Eddies hand erupted the room with light. "Tomorrow morning is when you will all take your last breath… so I would enjoy your last five or six hours alive."

He and his goon left and took the ladder and light with them. The doors closed with a deafening thud.

"Tony!" Ziva yelled. They began their cautious jog through the absolute black to where they remembered Tony laying.

"Tim, what happened?" asked Abby during the search through the darkness.

"They beat the shit out of Tony," he said sadly. "I-I couldn't do anything .. I swear,"

"Its okay," assured Kate. "Tony is tough." She was referring to the football career he and their dad was now planning.

"Here he is," said Ziva as she knelt beside Tony. "I really wish I could see."

"His eye and face seem swollen and sticky …with …blood," observed Ziva.

"He seems really cold to the touch too," added Kate. "Let's get him over to the center, we will rest there, away from the walls where it seems warmer. We can't carry out the plan without Tony. We will have to wait a few hours."

Tim lifted under his armpits, and Abby and Ziva grabbed a leg and they hauled him over to Kates voice.

"I have an idea," said Tim. "What is we all lay close together on the ground on our backs, and then put Tony on top of us. That way we keep Tony off of this cold cement, and we might all get some warmth out of it."

"A Tony-blanket!" said Abby. "It will be my favorite kind."

"It is a good idea, Tim," said Ziva

They all huddled together and draped Tony over them. It wasn't the most comfortable, but you gotta roll with the punches.

The girls took this time to inform Tim of their escape plan.

It consisted a cheerleading pyramid, followed by a rope made out of their clothing. It just might work. They just needed everyone to at least be awake and functioning.

Jethro went down and got Jenny. They were ordered by the director to go home get a meal and get freshened up. They made it back to their house in silence. Both of their minds running a million miles an hour with fear of what may be happening to their children.

As Jethro opened the front door to a silent house, his emotions ran wild. He pushed past them, and went for the kitchen to make a full pot of coffee. Neither of them would rest until this house was a home again.

Jenny went upstairs to the bathroom immediately. Showers were her stress relievers, and that's where she was headed. He had a cup of coffee, well… he downed a cup. Then he made his way to the front foyer and starting climbing the stairs. On the wall to his right he was passing the pictures of Kate when she was little and then Tony and then the twins…he couldn't look at them. Not yet.

As he walked down the long hallway, he walked past Abby's Do Not Enter and BioHazard sign laden door on the left, then Tim's nice and neat door on the right, then Tony's open door with a disaster of clothes, movies and magazines littering the floor, then he passed Kate and Ziva's bedroom door with posters of half naked guys and a dry erase board with their names on it. It hurt deep inside to know that they should all be asleep in their rooms right now, but they were so far from that.

He couldn't wait to have his house full again. He couldn't wait to yell at Kate and Ziva to turn down the music or to get off the phone. He couldn't wait to watch old war TV Shows with Tim early on Saturday mornings. He couldn't wait to yell at Tony to get his moldy ass out of bed like he had just this morning, or to get him a fitting helmet for 24/7 use now that he thought of it. He couldn't wait to tuck Abby into her coffin at night, and he couldn't wait to replace the smile on his wife's face as their family was together again. Safe and well.

Jenny was still in the bathroom taking a shower when Jethro walked into his room. He took a seat on his bed. HE took a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair which was growing greyer by the minute. His eyes fell upon the picture. It was his favorite picture. He reached over on his night stand and grabbed it. He looked at it, and couldn't help the flow of emotions the spilled out of him. Jenny emerged from the bathroom. She immediately sat next to her husband and cried into his shoulder.

"We will get them back .." said Jethro

"We have to …" "We have to…"

"Rewind that …right there." Said Fornell. They were watching the emailed video on the plasma.

"Do you think that's Morse Code?" asked an agent from behind Fornell and Ducky who were watching intently at the screen.

"Train!" Ducky and Fornell almost yelled.

"They are by train tracks!" said Morrow from his place next to Fornell.

"Yes, precisely!" Ducky was happy. This was the biggest lead they had yet. The email was untraceable, and no one was able to uncover any hidden meaning behind Tony's sign language. "Bravo Timothy!"

"Run a search on railroads out of town 200 mile radius that had a train pass by …" he looked at the time of the video and decided to give it a two hour block before I was recorded til then. "from 2300 to 0100."

"On its way sir," Ben Rivers ran down to the lab to figure it out.

Just then Jethro and Jenny burst through the dinging elevator doors.

"I've got it.." said Jethro. "Tony signed Hello because that's all he knows really … but 'hello' is also 'hey' .."

"And hay is for horses …" finished Ducky. As if he was slowly solving the mystery too.

'And …" said a very confused Tobias.

"Anthony is allergic to hay. They are being filmed in barn.."

"So they are somewhere where there is a hay field!" finished Jenny, hopeful this would reunite her with her children.

"That a boy, Tony!" cheered Fornell!

"Indeed, and Jethro and Jenny, Timothy used Morse Code with his fingers on the camera to tell us that he was nearby a train," said a now energetic Ducky.

"Do we have any search areas narrowed down yet?" asked Morrow.

Just then Ben emerged from the stairwell with the results. They then incorporated the search of hay farms at abandoned houses near train tracks with barns down to two. Jethro pointed to the one his kids were being help at. His gut told him so, and everyone knew he was right.

It was a two and a half hour drive from NCIS. But im sure they could cut that in half, being federal agents, and being Gibbs and all.

"Let's go get em…" said Jenny. Jethro nodded and a rather large hurd of people ran towards to exit.

Tony started to stir about an hour later. They knew they should wake him the rest of the way up. It was never a good idea to sleep much when you had a concussion. They knew this from Tony's past ones.

"Tony? Tony.." said Kate softly. She started tapping his back lightly.

"mmmm" was all she got.

"Tony! Wake up buddy.." said Tim.

He started to push up, but immediately stopped. Then all of the sudden he shot forward, half way off the rest of them and started puking up nearly nothing. Then he rolled off them and lay on his back.

"Tony? Answer me …" said Kate worried.

"Mmmm." was his response.

"Talk to us Tony …" said Abby in a serious voice.

"…"

"Tony," said Ziva. "We are in a dark cellar. That Eddie guy kidnapped us all. Do you remember?"

No response.

They all sit up now and find their way over to Tony, Tim smeared his hand in his puke. Great.

"Tony, wake up!" said Abby scared.

"hmm?"

"I don't think he's going to be okay for a while. Remember what the doctor said before we left, each one gets worse? Well two right in a row can't be good at all…."

"Well lets try and get out of here…. Now is our chance." Said Kate. "Tony obviously needs medical attention ….before his head gets any bigger than before." It was her attempt at humor. It did manage to lighten to tension a bit…on a superficial level.

"Abby we aren't going to be able to see… so be really careful okay?"said Kate.

"Ok"

Kate and Ziva each grabbed a foot of Abby's as she stepped into their hands, then hoisted her up so their hands were at hip level.

"One, Two, Three …" they adjusted and moved their hands, and Abby's feet to chest level.

"Can you reach the door Abby.."

"Noo… not at all!"

"OK… one, two, three!"

They pushed up hard, and each extended their arms straight above their head.

"I can reach it!"

"Push it up as hard as you can … and hurry!" the girls were starting to shake from fatigue.

They heard the familiar creak, and knew that that meant they were free. Well kind of.

"Ok Abby climb out," said Tim.

She did as she was told. Ziva pulled out her cell phone and turned it on. Then threw it out the trap door for Abby to find while it was still lit up.

"Go and find cell service and call dad!" said Kate excitedly.

With that Abby was gone.

Jethro was at the wheel, Jenny at shotgun. Ducky and Fornell were in the back. Two cars full of agents were following as close as they could to Gibbs.

"We need to go in their under the radar, find the kids, and then blow these bastards to bits," was Jethros plan of attack.

"Fine with me," said Fornell. He got on his earpiece and told the other teams to hold off once they got to the farm drive. Then he'd tell them when it was time to come in with guns blazing.

Just then Gibbs phone was ringing. He looked at the ID .. Ziva.

"Its Ziva!" he almost shouted

"Ziva are you there?" asked Gibbs excitedly as he answered the call.

"Daddy?" He knew that voice. And it could make him melt anywhere.

"Hey Baby girl. How are you doing? We are coming to got you right now!" Its Abby he mouthed to Jenny.

He then put the phone on speaker as he still drove furiously fast across the dark country road.

They could hear her sobs, and could hear the fear in her voice, "D-d-daddy. You have to hurry. I left them. They are in this field, in the middle of it—in the bottom of a dirty root cellar.."

"Abby baby! Its mom. Everything is gonna be fine okay?" said Jenny

"Hi mom. Hurry before the bad guys come back .." pouted Abby.

"Are you hurt Abby?" asked Jethro

"Noo .. no im fine." Answered Abby between sobs. "Promise. Tony's really hurt though. He is throwing up and can't really talk to us.. he doesn't know much.."

"Okay Abby. Tony will be fine. You all will be. We are here!" Said jethro as he parked the car and turned it off. "We will be right there, don't you move! Stay right where you are."

All four of them got out of the car, and started at a jog through the hay field. Ducking when they heard gunfire erupt.

"Let's make a clothes rope and then you two boost me out, and then I pull you guys up." Tim suggested hopeful that it would work

"Its our only shot," said Kate.

"I agree," finished Ziva

They all three took their pants off and shirts, and in the moonlight from the open cellar door, they began tying them together.

Tim is still a little scrawny for his age, and really weighs about the same as Abby. Lifting him was only slightly harder. Tim was safely up on ground. With his end of the rope in hand.

"Tony…" begged Ziva. "Come on. Please wake up!"

Stillness and silence. Ziva grabbed him under the shoulders and pulled him under the open cellar door. The moonlight allowed the girls to gasp at the mangled face of their usually very handsome younger brother.

His eyes were swollen, his right one completely shut. Blood drained into his eye from a cut on his brow bone. Blood also seeped from his mouth, and drenched the side of his head where his football injury had gotten re-opened and slightly bigger. They could see dark mottled spots covering his chest and stomach.

They put the rope tight around his chest under his ribs. Tim walked away from the cellar door holding the rope, which pulled him slowly but surely, and Tony was eventually up on the ground . Then he held Tony on the ground, and tossed his end of the rope back into the cellar for Ziva nad Kate to climb up on. The girls easily climbed up the rope as Tony and Tim held it anchored. Since it was frigid out, they untied to clothes rope, and put their pants on, and shirts. Tim was about to donate his to Tony, when he heard a screen door slam shut from the farmhouse.

Tony picked that moment to start waking up, moaning to be exact. Tim ripped him up, and Ziva stood on the other side and between the two of them they supported his weight. They ran as fast as they could as far away from the house as they could.

After about a minute they heard Eddie scream blood curdling loud and menacingly. He had found out that they had escaped.

"Oh how I do love a good hunt though!!" they could hear him scream. They were a ways away from him and crawling as low as they could. They finally made it to the edge of a forest before hearing a girl they recognized immediately as Abby whimpering.

"Abby.." came his whisper as Tim crawled over on the forest ground to his twin. She nearly tackled him with love, thankful that they all made it out. They rejoined everyone else, as she told them that their parents were here, and all they had to do now was wait.

Then they heard the sounds of something hitting the leaves and trees, and immediately following that they heard the sounds of a machine gun. Eddie was firing at them.

"Get down!" yelled Ziva. They all hit the deck. The gunfire was blowing the trees and leaves around them to bits. That guy was still pretty far away so that his aim was off, but Ziva was willing to bet this guy was getting closer.

Tony started moaning again from his spot on his back. Then he made the move like he was going to sit up. Kate knew this and immediately dove on top of him to try and keep him from sitting up into the gunfire. This did not sit well with confused Tony.

He started fighting Kate, his eyes still closed and mind still confused. He was moaning and rolling trying to get whatever was on top of him off. He couldn't breathe, and he had the urge to puke. Bad.

Then Kate noticed the gurgling sound through all the gunfire, and she looked down. Tony was fighting not to choke on his own vomit.

She rolled off of him. As she did so the gunfire stopped. She sat up a little and turned Tony on his side and let him spit the puke out of his mouth. He was starting to panic. He couldn't breathe well, or see, and he was still really of it. Kate could tell he was scared. Then he started retching again. Kate stroked his head in attempt to calm him, the way their mom would do it when they were little and had the flu.

Then they all heard the best sound they heard in all their lives.

"Kids?" It was their dad.

Then they heard all of their names being called from people all across the field.

"Dad!" yelled Abby. "We're over here!"

Instantly four flashlights turned in their direction, and soon their footsteps fell close in front of them. Then the beams began to scan across the ground around them, finally hitting the kids. They were sitting in various positions, all covered in dirt and grime, holding up their arms to shield the bright light from their eyes.

"Kids.." said Jenny timidly.

"Mom!" with that Abby, Kate, and Tim stood and ran towards the lights. They saw their parents move towards them, and they all embraced. Tears and cheers shared. Ziva stepped forward and took her turn to share her gratitude and happiness.

At that moment Ducky and Fornell stepped back towards the forestry, and their flashlights fell on a dirty, battered and unconscious Tony. Jethro and Jenny followed suit, and made their way towards him. Ducky was kneeling at his head, and he proceeded to open the less injured eye and shone the light into it which showed no reaction.

"Tony?" asked Jethro as he reached up and tapped him on the cheek.

Eyes fluttered and eventually opened revealing hazy and glazed over eyes that started bleakly at nothing in particular.

"Tony. Look at me…" Jethro nearly pleaded. His response was his son's eye brows furrowing in deep confusion. Then he moaned and his eye once again drifted shut.

"I think it's time we get a move on yes?" offered Ducky, wanting to get his nephew to proper care.

Jethro took off his NCIS jacket, "Sit him up will ya?"

Tobias and Jenny grabbed an arm and help to sit up the shirtless and cold unconscious Tony, who was again waking up yet couldn't fight the warm hands and gentle touch, although he had no idea who they were or where he was. His faced looked around in confusion, and he really couldn't hold a thought enough to speak.

Jethro put his jacket on his son, and zipped it up tightly.

"Let's get a move on," he said. He stood up and easily picked his teenaged son up and cradled him in his arms as best he could. Arms, legs and a messy brown haired head flopped limply around as Jethro turned around and the lot began their journey back to the warmth and safety of the cruisers.

They finally reached the cars, and they decided to split up the parents so one of them was with the some of the kids at least. Tobias offered to drive Jenny, Tim, Abby, and Ziva in one car. Ducky would drive Jethro, Tony, and Kate.

"You really should try and arouse him," suggested Ducky as he sped along the turning highway. Jethro sat in the back with Tony sprawled across the seat, his head resting in his lap.

"Tony...Wake up," he tapped his cheek. It was then that he took the opportunity to fully examine the extent of the damage done to his face. He grabbed his son's chin and slowly turned his head from side to side. He noted the swollen shut right eye, the cut above his eyebrow leaking trails of blood across his face, the swollen and bloody lip, the bruising around the jaw line, and the re-opened cut on his temple of the game that he should have been there for. "Tony?"

His left eye finally peeled open and met his father's teary blue ones. "That's my boy…How you doing kid?" said Jethro as he fought the lump in his throat.

"I—uhh. Wha-. Dad?"

"Yeah. Im here…Ducky and Kate too," was his reply.

Kate took this opportunity to lean over the seat and rub her brothers arm. "Hey Tony, you were giving us quite the scare there for a while…"

"Hmm. Sry.."

"Hey hey. You have nothing to be sorry about. But you will if you don't stay awake here," said Jethro, his voice gaining a false sternness towards the end.

His eye blearily snapped back open, and fought and fought the closing of his eye until he lost the battle once more.

"We are here!" yelled Ducky as he put the car in park and hurriedly made his way out of the car and over to the back door to help Jethro get Tony inside the hospital.

Jenny stood with her hand in her husband's as they peered through the window of Exam Room #2.

They were looking at Kate and Tim sitting each on their own table, as a resident was checking them over from head to toe. They had just left the room Abby and Ziva were in, satisfied after hearing the stubbornness of Ziva as she insisted she was fine to her tender and seeing Abby smile as the doc joked with her. All seemed well in Exam Room 2, so they turned and headed back towards the trauma room where they had originally started off.

The nurse that kicked them out of Tony's room was now standing guard in front of the trauma door, and she had insisted that they go and check on their other children- which they now did. The nurse had explained that it was strictly policy and not to worry, but when they began to protest was when she began her strong demands that no one would dare defy.

Just as they reached the door and walked anxiously towards the nurse, and as Epiphany the large nurse began to open her mouth to suggest another way for them to spend their time the large doors swung open and the physician stepped forward.

Ducky stood up from his spot in the waiting chairs just behind this scene as he recognized the doctor and moved forward as to not miss the news about to be given.

"How is he?" asked Jenny who couldn't wait any longer to hear about Tony.

"Well, we were finally able to get him awake, which was a very good thing because with is history or past head injuries and especially considering he was just in here yesterday for a severe concussion, I was nearly positive this would end in a coma. Thankfully though he woke up," said the doctor letting out a breathe himself.

"But…" said Jethro. His gut told him that things weren't exactly alright.

"But, he is having trouble staying awake. He can't finish any sentences coherently. His speech is very slurred. Pupil reaction is non-existent. Blurry vision, can't focus on anything vision-wise. He didn't remember his name at first, or what city we are in. I didn't even bother to ask what year or the president because he's just so out of it."

"Oh my," said Ducky from behind him.

"So what exactly does that mean…" asked Jethro concerned.

"Well, we sent him for a CT scan and I am about to go and check on the results. This will tell us if there is any bleeding or severe bruising going on. Other than that though, his chest and abdomen have some extensive bruises, but nothing that can cause any real trouble. That cut on his temple from the football injury is going to need to be stapled soon, and they are just finishing with sutures on his cheekbone, eyebrow and lip. I will be back soon, but for now why don't you all go and see him. But I am warning you, your son is still really out of it…."

With that the doctor nodded his head and headed off to search for test results. Jethro and Jenny slowly pushed opened the doors as Ducky silently wavered to stay outside.

Tony was laying against the gurney, which was in the sitting postion. His arms lay limply to the sides, and his head lay turned to the left. All they could see was his right swollen shut eye, so they knew he could not see them. A nurse was putting a needle in the bloody matted hair near the large open gash on his temple. They could hear Tony moaning quietly at the prick of the needle being poked into his skin by the nurse.

Jenny walked quickly over to his side and grabbed his hand.

"I know baby, I know… stay strong," said Jenny as she bent to look into Tony's clenched shut eye. She patted his hand and rubbed it so even is he didn't know who she was, he knew he wasn't alone. Jethro took a spot at the other side of the bed, the side where the nurse was getting the cleaning supplies ready, and took his sons other hand.

Jethro looked down at the dark bruises that had formed and were still forming on his son's still uncovered top half.

"Still in these damn football pants…" said Jethro with a smirk towards Jenny.

She simply smiled a bit, "Tony? How are you feeling?" she bent down and asked with concern as the woman began removing the torn stitches from the wound at his temple.

"Ummm" it sounded unsure and quiet.

"Tony…can you talk for us," asked Jethro

"Uhhmm. I ? uhh,"

It was unsuccessful. With that Jenny padded his hand and swallowed the rising lump. He didn't recognize them, and didn't even know what was going on. She couldn't help but feel like this was her fault.

Even though this man had chosen them at random, just because he was just plain psychotic, she still knew that she should have been there to protect all of her children. It was her most important duty in life, yet she managed to mess it up.

It had been discovered earlier in the day that MTAC was locked from an outside hacking source that was traced back to the computer found in the warehouse. Eddie Tyler had planned the bogus SecNav conference somehow and locked them in MTAC so he could take the kids. This was very premeditated, and very unpredictable, but she and Jethro felt like they had royally let down their children. Especially if Tony was permanently damaged.

Jethro couldn't take no for an answer, or this resounded 'ummmm' they kept getting.

He bent down and grabbed underneath his son's chin gently. "You did good son, don't you let me down now." He was choking back tears as he said it.

Then the hazy look in his eye turned to one of focus and recognition as it squinted a bit.

"Dad?" it was quiet and questioning. But Jenny and Jethro heard it like the choir of angels. Jenny leaned forward and grasped Jethro's arm tight as she held onto the hope of the moment that things might get better with Tony.

"How you doing bud?"

"M'head hurts," he slurred, and sounded drunk. His eyes still a bit dazed and wandering.

"Yep, I know it does," said Jethro as he grabbed his hand again and rubbed it tears still threatening to spill out of his eyes.

"Wha's goin onn?" He sounded tired and confused still, but this had to be an improvement. He was starting to form sentences and could follow a conversation.

"What do you remember ?" asked Jen.

"I uhh… Umm," with that his eye began to drift closed.

"Hey… stay awake for me.." Jethro tapped his hand.

"M tired thoo,"

"Tony? Tony.." his eye closed, but after a shake from Jethro he fought to keep his eye back open.

"Tony, don't do that. You have to stay awake…"

Just then the doctor came through the doors, his expression unreadable.

"Good news! The CT was negative for anything abnormal. Your son is a very lucky boy."

"Did you hear that Tony?"

"Yeahh, I'm th goldenn child"

With that everyone chuckled a bit.

"I guess so!" said the doctor. "Nice of you to join us Tony!" he was shocked he was able to function so much more than just a few minutes ago.

"C'ay sleep yet..?" Tony's eye was already closed.

The Gibbs looked up at the doctor to see if it was a good idea.

"Sure," said the doctor. "He's earned a rest and I don't see him being able to stay up much longer anyways. I'd prefer he didn't sleep but he's been through a lot these past few days, and I would have given him something to keep him up, but with the head injury and its severity that would be an even more costly alternative."

"And, he's going to want to be asleep for this next part anyway…" added the nurse who was holding the staple gun ready to fire at any moment. She had been waiting for him to fall asleep to be honest.

"After the staples we will have him transferred to a room," said the doctor. "He's not out of the woods yet, and we will probably keep him for observation for a few days. Most people don't get off scott free with two major head injuries in a day like this…" He didn't want them to be surprised if something major did come up.

"His memory was a bit off …" said Jethro to let the doc know.

"Okay it's noted. We are going to want to make sure those cuts stay nice and clean, especially those staples. We will be looking out for signs of loss of motor function or vision and checking his memory isn't permanently damaged. All of things could be very jeopardizing, especially since I can tell by his physique …and those pants … that sports are pretty important to him."

"Yeah, they are. C'mon Jen let's go tell everyone else the news. You don't want to watch the staples go in either…" suggested Jethro.

Jen nodded her head and together they walked out of the trauma room. Although the doctor was warning them of all these things that could go wrong with Tony, they each knew deep down that he was going to be just fine. The doctor didn't know Tony.

"So which was more of the hint?" began Tim as he and his entire family sat around Tony's hospital bed the next morning. The question was for his parents, "My morse code, or Tony's sign language?"

Tony gave a crooked smile with his sewn up and swollen lip, and still swollen shut eye. He had a large bandage over the right half of his head where the staples were. He was in his sweatpants with no shirt, exposing the extensive bruises and bandaged ribs, walking stiffly and slowly back to his bed from the restroom as his family filled the room.

"I believe we all know the answer to that …" he said with a broken grin, but somehow its effect was no different than ever, as it lit up the entire room.

They all gave a chuckle. "Hmm …." began Jethro as he pretended to ponder it. He always had a soft spot for Tony, who everyone knew was basically his golden child, but had always played it off and would give Tim the boosts of confidence he needed. Tony sure as hell didn't need any. "It was definitely the Morse Code. That was a good job, Tim." He patted his son on the back, who took the praising contently.

Tony just rolled his eyes with a soft smile. "Yeah yeah, and I'm Betty Crocker."

Jenny gave a large smile as she listened to her family and their casual banter; it was the greatest feeling in the world that her family was all together again, and in one piece. There was no place else she would rather be than right where she was. The love of her life sitting across from her, Abby laying with Tony in the hospital bed, Tim sitting on his dad's lap, Ziva and Kate sharing the seat next to her, and all of them giggling….finally.

"Kelly brought you some balloons," said Ziva. "She also said, and I quote, that 'you better get well soon Snookers'."

Tony closed his eyes. Oh god, he was never going live that name down.

Snorts and giggles erupted the room. Awesome.

After a few more minutes the room cleared out and was headed down to the car, except Jethro. They were taking Tony home, and he was waiting to help Tony down, and to sign the last of the papers.

"Tony…" Jethro began

"Yeah?"

"I'm proud of you. Ya did good kid," said Jethro as he wrapped his arm around his son's neck and slowly pulled him in for a kiss on the top of the head.

"Thanks Dad…"

"I swear Tony, if you don't get out of this room in five seconds, so help me, I will-"

"And a Good Morning to you too, Dad!" said a smiling Tony as he ripped open the door and stood in its frame. He then pulled a white tshirt pver his head and pulled on his favorite cap "Taking another day off you two?" He asked cheerfully with an eyebrow raised as he leaned out the doorway turned his gaze down the hallway towards where his mother stood in her door.

"Yeah. After nursing your sorry ass back to health, we deserve a break," said Jethro playfully. He reached forward, picked off his sons hat ruffled the hair beneath it, pulled him forward by the back of the head and planted one right on the top of his head before replacing the ball cap on his head backwards this time. Tony smiled wryly at this, and pulled his backpack up over his shoulder.

"Now skidaddle. Everyone's waiting, including your mother.." finished Jethro with a grin.

Tony then returned the grin and shimmied past his Dad towards the stair well, "You kids have fun now!" he yelled back at them.

Jethro stood in his same spot and shook his head.

"What can ya do?" came Jen's voice from down the hall. Her eyes met his as she smiled sneakily, playing with her robe.

Jethro downed the rest of his coffee, set on the hallway table, and made his way back to the bedroom towards his lady. "I know of a few things we can do," he replied with a crooked grin as he made it through the door and shut it behind him.

The End. 3


End file.
